ST. LOUIS — This season, no player has spent quite as much time winning as Duncan Keith, who leads the 16-0-3 Chicago Blackhawks with 23:54 of ice time per game, while contributing a goal, 10 assists and his usual top-notch defensive work. Before the Blackhawks tried to extend their NHL-record season-opening points streak to 20 games on Thursday, the 29-year-old defenseman sat down with Sporting News for a Q&A. Here's what he had to say.

SPORTING NEWS: You've won a Stanley Cup, won a Norris Trophy... what else would you like to accomplish in your career?

DUNCAN KEITH: I'd like to win some more! Obviously, you win a Stanley Cup, that's the pinnacle of hockey. There's no better feeling than hoisting that thing over your head.

DK: Yeah, the Olympics, too. That's right up there. Playing for your country is always special. Just to be named to be a part of team Canada is special, and to go on and win a gold medal is a great feeling.

SN: Who's your favorite player to watch?

DK: It used to be (Nicklas) Lidstrom, but he's retired now, so I've got to go back and watch the old tapes I have.

SN: If there's one thing you could have known when you came into the league that you could go back and tell yourself, what would that be?

DK: There's going to be a lot of ups and downs, and it's all about just staying even-keeled. Not everything's going to go your way, and there's going to be ups and downs every year, as a team and an individual. Just stay level-headed and don't let anything bother you.

SN: This year, you haven't really had a lot of downs. Have you ever been part of anything quite like this, at any level of hockey, where it's gone this well for this long?

DK: When I played junior for the Kelowna Rockets, we had a 23-game unbeaten streak or something like that (23 wins, one tie). That was pretty special.

SN: Does this start to the season — I know it's the 16 wins at the end of the season rather than the 16 at the start that's important — but does this give you a sense of what this team is capable of?

DK: I think so. I think it shows we have a good team and a lot of potential. But, like you said, it's the 16 wins at the end of the season, and it's a lot tougher to win those games at the end than at the start. I don't want to discredit anything we've done. It's been a great start, and we want to keep it going and just keep getting better. That's what we've talked about all along, is trying to get better.

SN: Obviously, it's a long way away, but have you ever thought about what you want to do when you're done playing hockey? Would you stay in the game or try something else in life?

DK: I don't know. I've thought about it a little bit, but there's nothing really that excites me outside of hockey, but I'm not really sure what I'd want to do in hockey. So I don't know.

SN: What's your favorite road city?

DK: It's always fun to go back to Vancouver and see family and friends, and Calgary as well. I like going to the warm climates, too, especially because Chicago is cold. It's nice to get off a bus and see some palm trees and some nice weather, so anywhere like Anaheim, San Jose, L.A., even Dallas is nice, and Phoenix.

SN: We talked a little about the Olympics already. How important is it for NHL players to keep going to the Olympics and promote the sport on that stage around the world?

DK: I think it's huge. Obviously, there's a huge market in Europe to be able to promote NHL players and the game of hockey. I think it's important that we're in the Games and playing and participating in the Olympics to grow the game.

SN: If you had one day in charge of the entire sport of hockey, what would you do?

DK: Eliminate pregame skates, maybe?

SN: You don't enjoy them?

DK: I just think I can prepare for a game doing other things. I don't mind pregame skates too much, but I enjoy my sleep.

SN: Complete this sentence: I am the only player in the NHL...

DK: I don't know if I'm that unique. There's not too many guys in the NHL, though, that use four or five sticks a game.

SN: In each game?

DK: Sometimes, yeah, and maybe even more sometimes. I'll also wear two or three pairs of skates. I just like the fresh feeling, and sometimes the ice can wear one stick out and I'll feel that. Sometimes, changing it up, I like to do that, too. Trainers don't like it because they're always handing me sticks and doing work.

SN: Do you find, then, that you don't break as many sticks as other guys?

DK: Yeah, I don't go through a whole lot of sticks. Maybe that has something to do with it.